Therefore, basically a bank Phishing attack consists of the victim entering a fake link or page, which they have created as if it were something legitimate, and the passwords and credentials are sent to a server controlled by the cybercriminal. In this way it manages to steal the keys and have control of that account.
Why is it such a popular method?
Now, what makes hackers use phishing attacks so much to steal bank accounts? There are several reasons for this. One of them is that it relatively simple reach many users at once. That is, they can send thousands of emails to thousands of hypothetical victims. If only a handful fall for the trap, they have already made a profit.
It is also widely used for the ease of accessing phishing kits. On the Dark Web, an attacker, even without becoming an expert in cybersecurity, will be able to acquire everything necessary to carry out this type of attack and compromise the security of many Internet users.
On the other hand, it is a method that is not easy to be detected by a antivirus. It is true that the security tools have improved and, for example, they can detect dangerous domains, even so many sneak into the email and that results in a major problem.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it can affect people of all ages. They can send SMS to many numbers and maybe an older person who does not have the necessary knowledge to avoid these threats will fall for it. They find a message on their mobile saying that they have to enter the bank account, they have activated this option because it is something very common nowadays, but they do not know that it can really be a trap.
What to do to protect ourselves
After having explained all this, the most important thing remains: what can we do to prevent bank password theft and be completely protected on the Internet. We are going to show a series of recommendations that you must apply for this specific case, but that will also be useful to avoid similar attacks on the Internet.
Avoid making mistakes
Undoubtedly the most important of all is the common sense and don’t make mistakes. Bank phishing attacks will require the interaction of the victim. The attacker needs us to click on a link, download a file, or log in in some way to steal information and passwords.
Therefore, it is essential to always maintain common sense, to know at all times where we are entering and where we are going to put our data. In the slightest doubt, it is better not to send anything. If you receive an email or SMS saying that your account has been stolen or that there is a problem, do not fall for this type of bait and, whenever you have doubts, contact your bank through official means.
keep everything up to date
Another very important point is to always have everything updated. Here we must include the operating system itself, the applications we use or any software or driver. On many occasions, vulnerabilities appear that are exploited by hackers. This will allow the entry of malware or will serve to deploy Phishing attacks.
In the case of Windows, to update to the latest version you have to go to Start, enter Settings and go to Windows Update. There you will see possible new versions that you can install to correct any problem that may exist.
The steps are similar in any other operating system you use, whether on a computer or mobile. In addition, you should especially take this into account when using programs connected to the Internet, such as the browser or the application itself to enter the online bank account.
Have security programs
There are many security programs that you can use to protect your computers and prevent the entry of viruses and any variety of malware. For example you can use a good antivirus. Some options like Windows Defender, Bitdefender or Avast work very well. However, there are many alternatives, both free and paid, for all types of systems.
But you don’t have to limit yourself to just antivirus, since we can also have firewalls or even security add-ons for the browser. In all these cases, the objective is to keep hackers away and to be able to detect any security threat that may appear.
Activate two-step authentication
If there is something very useful to combat banking Phishing attacks, it is to activate two-step authentication. Basically what it does is create an extra layer of security. An additional barrier that will allow a hacker to not be able to enter the account even if they knew the password.
There are more and more online services that enable the multi-factor authentication. Whenever you can, it is something you should keep in mind to maximize protection. That second code is usually an SMS, an email or also through an application.
Use only official apps
For avoid security problems When using banking applications, something fundamental is to use only the official ones. But beyond that, you should download them from legitimate sources. For example, the bank’s own website or official stores such as Google Play. In this way you will avoid the risk that this software has been maliciously modified.
It is precisely through fake applications a method widely used by hackers to launch attacks. They modify a program to make it look legitimate but it is actually a scam so they can steal passwords.
In short, bank Phishing is a very common problem that affects our bank accounts on the Internet. It is important to know how it works and also how we can maintain security and avoid being victims of this problem.